KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: A nine-year-old girl was slapped by her disciplinary teacher because she was late for school by 10 minutes.

S. Surithambal was late due to the heavy morning traffic in Puchong.

Her mother, V. Kavitha, 29, said she was told about the incident when she went to fetch her daughter from her school at 1pm on Monday.

She said she was shocked to see Surithambal's swollen face.

"Her class starts at 7.30 and she was only late by 10 minutes. Why must her teacher slap her?" asked Kavitha.

She said the headmaster refused to allow her to meet the disciplinary teacher and ignored her complaint.

Kavitha said she took her daughter to the University Malaya Medical Centre for a check-up yesterday before lodging a report at the Bukit Puchong police station.

The doctor had said there were no internal injuries.

"I'm also going to lodge a report with the Education Ministry. I want stern action to be taken," she said when met at the police station.

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